TURKEY AIMS TO STRENGTHEN ITS POSITIONS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS THROUGH ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
24.08.2009 18:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It’s wrong to link the entire Armenian-Turkish
process with the issue whether or not Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan will leave for Turkey to watch return football match, RA NAS
Oriental Studies Institute Director, Turkish studies specialist Ruben
Safrsastyan told a news conference in Yerevan. "I think Turkish side
has already made a decision to at least open the border. By signing
the "road map", Ankara proved it has refused its previous policy in
relation to Armenia," the speaker noted.

Following the August war, Turkey weakened its positions in the region,
while Moscow strengthened its influence, Safrastyan finds. "And
now, Turkey aims to strengthen its positions in South Caucasus
through Armenia. But in the meantime, Turkish diplomacy resorts
to different methods to impose concessions on Yerevan in Karabakh
conflict settlement and Armenian Genocide recognition processes,"
Professor noted.

In that regard, he found Armenian President’s recent statement too
abrupt. "I don’t think Turks will immediately agree to open border,"
he said.